Black Beauty Fruiting Mulberry is a low-chill, self-fertile tree that delivers the pinnacle of mulberry flavor in zones 8-10. This cultivar of Morus nigra grows to about 15 feet at maturity, making it notably more compact than typical mulberries, yet it produces abundantly each season with large, juicy black berries that are exceptionally flavorful. Whether eaten fresh off the branch or dried for later enjoyment, these berries represent everything mulberry lovers crave: deep sweetness and rich complexity. The tree blooms from August through October, and its rapid growth means you'll have fruit sooner than you might expect.
Full Sun
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8-10
180in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The berries on Black Beauty are uncommonly large and juicy, with a flavor depth that stands above other mulberry varieties. Unlike taller mulberry cousins that can become unwieldy, this tree stays naturally compact at around 15 feet, making it manageable for home gardeners willing to prune. Beyond the fruit itself, the leaves offer a surprising bonus: dried, they make an excellent black tea substitute or provide nutritious fodder for homestead animals.
Fresh eating is the primary draw here, as the berries are genuinely exceptional when picked ripe from the tree. They're also excellent candidates for drying into chewy snacks that concentrate their natural sweetness. The leaves have traditional uses as a tea substitute when dried, and they're prized as nutritious feed for livestock and homestead animals because of their high protein content.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Pick berries when they're fully black and feel soft to the touch; they should come away easily from the branch. Harvest regularly throughout the fruiting season from August through October to encourage continued production. Ripe berries are at peak flavor and sweetness, so taste-test as you go to find your preferred moment of ripeness.
Black Beauty responds enthusiastically to hard pruning and can be cut back significantly each year if you want to manage its size and shape. Since the tree naturally reaches 15 feet but can be kept much smaller through pruning, regular cutbacks help concentrate energy into fruit production and maintain a more garden-friendly form.
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